John Calvin Commentary Exodus 17:2

"Wherefore the people stove with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why strive ye with me? Wherefore do ye tempt Jehovah?" — Exodus 17:2 (ASV)

Wherefore the people did chide with Moses. Here now reveals itself both their impiety against God—since, neglecting and despising Him, they make war against Moses—and also their malice and unkindness, because, forgetful of so many benefits, they wantonly insult Moses.

They know that fountains and rivers cannot be created by mortal man; why, then, do they quarrel with him, and not call directly upon God, in whose hand are the waters as well as all other elements? Certainly, if there had been a spark of faith in them, they would have resorted to prayer.

Rightly, then, does Moses reason earnestly that in chiding with him, they tempt God Himself. What madness is there in their accusing Moses of cruelty for bringing them out of Egypt, only to kill them, their children, and their cattle in the wilderness?

But Moses chiefly reproves them on this ground: because God Himself is affected by this rebellious chiding. The actual form of their tempting God is stated at the end, namely, because they had doubted whether the Lord was among them or not?

From this it follows that the root of the whole evil was their unbelief, because they neither ascribed due honor to God’s power nor believed Him to be faithful to His promises. For He had taken charge of them and had promised that He would never fail them; why then, now, when circumstances demand it, do they not assure themselves that He will assist them, except because they wickedly detract from both His power and His truth?